Montgomery Parks has a festive lineup of special events and programs in December, including the continuation of the holiday favorite Garden of Lights at Brookside Gardens, Holiday Barket, a dog-themed holiday market, several winter solstice celebrations and the return of our Urban Wood Sale. There are many ways to celebrate the holiday season at Montgomery Parks.December events in Montgomery Parks include:
Garden of Lights | Through January 1, 2023 (closed December 24 – 25) | 5 – 9:30 p.m.
THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER
Per Montgomery Parks: Montgomery Parks(opens in a new tab), part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, announces its first Holiday Barket, a dog-themed holiday market, on December 3, 2022, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Cabin John Regional Park. The event will feature dog-friendly accessories and gifts from a handful of local businesses, representatives from community pet service agencies and concessions for purchase.
Per Montgomery Parks: Family and friends in town for the holiday? Get outdoors and enjoy nature together in the parks! Check out these suggested activities for Thanksgiving weekend.
Ice Skating: Everyone loves ice skating! Our indoor ice centers—Cabin John Ice Rink(opens in a new tab) and Wheaton Ice Arena(opens in a new tab)—have public skating sessions this Friday, November 25, to Sunday, November 27. Visit our website for skating schedules.
Per Montgomery Parks: Our Urban Wood Sale is back! Shop for resources for your next woodworking, homebuilding, furniture repair, or craft project. This year, the sale features kiln dried, planed, and air dried wood. Slabs are different sizes and thicknesses (sizes ranging from 3/4” to 3” thick), and prices range from $5- $400. Walnut, cedar, pine, poplar, oak, beech, cherry, cypress, and ash will be available. Credit card only. No advanced sales.
All sales benefit Montgomery Parks’ urban wood waste recycling and green waste recycling programs. Saturday, December 10 and Sunday December 11 from 8 am to 1 pm * or until supply runs out. Montgomery Parks’ Green Farm Maintenance Facility, 8301 Turkey Thicket Drive, Gaithersburg, 20879. Follow signs upon arrival.
Montgomery Parks has announced programming and operating hours for the Thanksgiving holiday. The holiday weekend, November 25 through November 27, is a time when families and friends gather to celebrate, and Montgomery Parks has many offerings that are perfect opportunities to spend time together.
Open Parkways Schedule: The Open Parkways schedule will start on Wednesday, November 23 for the holiday with portions of Sligo Creek Parkway and Beach Drive open to pedestrians and bicyclists for exercise and recreation.
Friends of Black Hill Nature Programs will host a virtual talk and silent auction on Friday, November 18, 2022, at 6 p.m. to support the development of the new, self-sustaining classroom
Montgomery Parks and The Friends of Black Hill Nature Programs will host a virtual talk and silent auction on November 18, 2022, from 6 – 8 p.m. tocelebrate and support the future development of Black Hill Regional Park’s new, sustainable classroom. The silent auction takes place through November 19 and will be available on the Friends of Black Hill Nature Programs website.
Montgomery Parks announces the opening of this year’s Brookside Gardens’ annual Garden of Lights outdoor, walk-through winter light display on Friday, November 18 (preview photos and video available below). Garden of Lights features glimmering one-of-a-kind displays adorning the flowerbeds and pathways throughout Brookside Gardens. New features this year include a winter wonderland scene with tall ice-like formations and falling snow in the Rose Garden and oversized colorful flower forms throughout the Formal Gardens. All new displays were handcrafted by Montgomery Parks staff
Pedestrians and cyclists can enter the seasonal light display at the pedestrian gate at 1800 Glenallan Avenue or via a half-mile path beginning at 2000 Shorefield Road, near the Wheaton Regional Park Adventure Playground.Visitors can buy unique, seasonal gifts at the gift shop and hot chocolate and snacks will also be available for purchase.
Winter Lights: Saunter through dazzling displays of more than one million lights at Brookside Gardens’ Garden of Lights(opens in a new tab). The winter light exhibition opens this Friday, November 18, to Sunday, November 20, 5:30 pm to 9:30 pm. All visitors five and older must have advanced tickets.
Animals: Join the community science Project FeederWatch(opens in a new tab)at Locust Grove Nature Center on Friday, November 18, 11 am, and help staff count birds at their feeders. What do Brookside Nature Center’s animal ambassadors eat for lunch? Find out on Sunday, November 20, 1:30 pm, during Feed Me! Feed Me!(opens in a new tab)
Garden of Lights officially opens on November 18th and runs until January 1 (closed Nov. 21-24 and Dec. 24-25), 5-pm9:30 p.m. Brookside Gardens, 1800 Glenallan Ave., Wheaton (video preview below).
Garden of Lights display transforms Brookside Gardens into a dazzling winter wonderland. The one-half mile outdoor exhibit features one-of-a-kind light displays decorating flower beds and the grounds. Visitors can buy unique seasonal items at the gift shop. Hot chocolate and light snacks will be available for purchase.
Montgomery Parks has issued its 2022 Parks, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) Policy Plan following approval by the Montgomery County Planning Board at the June 16, 2022, meeting. Revised every five years, this PROS Plan guides the long-term development and management of the park system through the year 2027 and beyond. On Friday, November 5, Parks received confirmation from the Department of Natural Resources that the plan was approved as the County’s Land Preservation, Parks, and Recreation Plan, a prerequisite for certain important state funding sources.
The 2022 PROS plan emphasizes the role of parks in supporting physical activity, social connectivity, and environmental stewardship. The plan recommends enhancing parks in urban areas, delivering services to an increasingly diverse population with a focus on seniors, teenagers, and young adults, and staying abreast of recreational trends. Parks should foster social cohesion and tell the story of our history, culture, and natural resources. In addition, parks need to provide sustainable access to the County’s natural areas and the plan reaffirms the department’s commitment to environmental stewardship.
Ice skating, hiking, storytelling, volunteering, and more! Discover these programs in the parks for Friday, November 11, to Sunday, November 13! Check out the list of events? Per Montgomery Parks, below:
Veterans: Montgomery Parks honors military service members past and present with Veterans Day Skate. Veterans and active duty service members, along with their families, receive free admission and skate rental on Sunday, November 13, at Cabin John Ice Rink(opens in a new tab), 12:30 to 2:30 pm, and at Wheaton Ice Arena(opens in a new tab), 3 pm to 5 pm.